I think the rug is very pretty, but I'm not a rug expert so wait to hear from others. It appears to pick up your wall color exactly. I like it.

very pretty. Is it a tufted rug?

Hard to tell on my monitor...is it bright or more muted? I think I like it if it's slightly on the muted side. :)

It's a pretty rug and does pick up your colors, as Bru mentioned.

The only thing I see missing is some warmth. You have such lovely French furniture and I always like to see that paired with a bit of a warmer palette. However, I'm also aware it's a personal preference of mine. :)

I think it's a gorgeous rug and it works very well in your lovely room. I think once you recover your chair cushions (assuming you're going to incorporate a color and perhaps a pattern -- a stripe would be pretty!), the room will really come to life.

I think it looks great, and it's especially nice that it was reasonable as well.

Wow - that was quick! Thanks everyone.

To answer some questions:

Stinkytufted - I found it at HomeGoods and the tag says "Made in India, Handtufted, 100% Wool.

Wearybuilder - yes, I would say it is muted.

Parma42 - I'll tell my mother you like her hand-me-downs. I've been dusting this furniture since I was about 10 years old and I'm sick of it, but a new set isn't in the budget right now. Would love to hear your ideas for "warming up" without re-painting (just did that).

Auntjen - I was thinking of a small print or check for the chairs since I have a bold stripe in the living room. I'm open to suggestions.

Keep 'em coming. Just cause I'm "happytobehome" doesn't mean I'm good at decorating it.

I think your new rug looks really nice! Good color and size, I like it :-)

I like the rug alot. And once you warm up the seat fabric with a new one, it'll all come together.

I just found a great handtufted, 100% wool and silk rug at HG for a steal. It was originally priced at $600 for an 8x11. After the 25% discount (15% and another 10% for opening a charge), I got it for $350. I found the exact same rug on-line selling for $1400. You gotta love HomeGoods.

I say keep yours. It works well.

It looks very good in your room. Do you have drapes in there?

I can't tell exactly if your rug is red or cranberry, but some accessories in that color instead of the white ones would bring warmth.

Gracie01 - I don't have drapes. There is a bay window with a window seat, but I just have the folding shades that can be lowered from the top, or raised from the bottom. I don't know what type of drapes would look nice on the window. I'll try to post a pic later.

I agree that I need to change out the white accessories. Gracie and Parma are correct that the rug is too warm for the rest of the room currently, even if the colors match. If anyone wants to make suggestions, or post pics or links for accessories or fabric they think would look nice it would be most appreciated.

I love it! And you did a great job dusting all those years! Who knew! If you use a soft stripe , like oceanna in her help me with my chandy thread.it wouldnt clash with the LR stripe. In any case you have such wonderful colors to work with in the rug and your walls, you will have so much fabric to drool over.

You could have curtain panels at each end of the bay window which would really soften the look. A light beige might be nice if you have that color in your chair upholstery. I can only see one picture of the rug and so can't tell if that has beige in it. A large painting which has red in it would also help to warm up the room and be a good contrast with the green walls.

Definitely a keeper, I love the way it goes with the wall colors and brings in the warm burgundy. Your new floors look gorgeous too, very warm and toasty color.

I wonder how a mossy green and cream toile would look on those DR chairs -- that would bring out the French, and be very homey and cozy.

I think a muted gold with accent of red and/or green would be great and tie into your wall color in the living area.

Happy, I never meant to say that the rug was too warm. Can't really tell what color the red is. It looked like a cooler burgundy, actually.

How you decorate will depend if you want to embrace the French design of your dining room furniture or just tolerate it if it's not to your liking. You can always send it to me. :)

Bigdog's idea of a green and cream toile would be nice if you want to go in a French direction. A simple stripe would be great if you want something more classic. Or...a nice bee fabric would give you the best of both worlds.

You say that the bottom half of your walls are creamier than they appear on the pic. If that is so, then I wouldn't worry about the cool wall color. Having a balance of warm and cool can be very refreshing.

I think it's a keeper!
What great furniture - hand me down or not!!
I would look for more colorful art to balance the rug.
Maybe you could use the set of 4 prints in the LR as a set of 4 on one wall - they look a little lonely 2 x 2.

You have already gotten great suggestions for fabric. Look in remnant piles - you won't need that much to recover the seats!

Smiles:)

I didn't think of a bee fabric, that's a great idea Parma. Or a fleur de lis fabric. Yum.

I call it a keeper. And when you add color in the chair fabric and in your accessories you'll wonder why you even doubted your choice.

Thanks everyone! You guys are great! Looks like everyone agrees it's a keeper with a little help from fabric and accessories. I don't think panel drapes would work here because the buffet is in the way on the left (see pic below). Any other ideas for window coverings? Woven wood blinds?

If I make a cushion for the window seat, should I use the same fabric as the chairs, or is that too matchy? Also, what is bee fabric ? I currently have frog fabric -- is it like this (see pic below) only with bees?

One more question. Would it look better if I painted below the chair rail the same color as the living room?

Okay two more questions -- anyone want to come and decorate my house for me? I'm overwhelmed just thinking about all this.

Here's a few more views:

#1 - the bay window

{{!gwi}}

#2 - looking in to the living room. DH says the picture has to stay until the moose gets across the stream. DS painted this pic when he was 9.

#3 - frog fabric

French, but not 'in your face' French.

Happy, your photos aren't showing up (even the ones at the top now) except for the frogs on the chair.

Bees are Napoleonic, I think that was his logo, so they're very French. The frogs are darling and would be hilariously French, as "frog" is a nickname for the French, not sure why, and I think used mostly by the Brits (?) (possibly derogatively?) The white on your frog fabric looks too stark though. If it is 100% cotton you could tea stain it to richen it up.

You're doing great with that room, don't be overwhelmed.

Hope we can see the pictures, I'd like to see the problem with using drapery panels on the window.

Okay, I think I fixed the problem. Are the pictures back?

I don't know if tea staining would work, cause it would probably change the color of the frogs also. I put the frog fabric on about 8 years ago when DS was 10, so they have seen a lot of wear and tear and stains. It's time to re-cover. Just got back from Calico Corners with some samples! Hopefully something will work, or lead me in the right direction at least.

Here's a picture of the only sample that seems to work. I also brought home a green toile, but the background was too white. I kind of like this green one though.

I really like this fabric sample. As long as it doesn't clash with the wall color I think it's ideal.

Just a thought:
Even though a fabric background matches a wall color, sometimes a small overall print on a fabric can alter the eye's perception of the color when seen from a distance.

Monablair - Thanks for the input. I've actually found one I like better since I posted that last picture. The green did match the wall, but I was worried about too much green, and wanted to introduce a different color. I found a light gold with a small red dot that I really like (link below) and got a sample at Calico Corners. It brings out a little gold in the rug. I'm planning on painting BM concord ivory in the family room (behind the dining room in the first picture), and the color of the gold fabric is perfect to tie the two rooms together.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gold Fabric

The border of the rug really cooperates with the shape of the chair backs. You might like to consider choosing a bolder pattern for the chairs...with the strength of the rug, a wide stripe in colors that come out of the rug would look wonderful. I like the idea of using the cooler colors as the primary background for the chair cushions. Red can sometimes make that lovely wood tone read a little too orange.
The Napoleonic bees and the toile are both great classics, but I think they don't really work as well with the rather loose style of that wonderful rug. And the bees are so strict that they don't do much to add the warmth that you want.
As to the windows, I might want roman shades in a natural wood or bamboo on each of the three sections of the bay to bring the warm tones of the furniture into that part of the scheme, and then floor to ceiling panels of a tone-on-tone jacquard in one color, or a small-scale cream and gold or cream and light red stripe, like a formal French ticking, at the sides.
(Can you do floor to ceiling panels? I think I am seeing baseboard heat? In that case, there are products that allow you to cover the baseboard in just the area behind the curtains.)

And one more suggestion...all in the service of creating warmth and scale...I would take the four pretty prints you have hung in pairs on either side of the doorway, and hang all four of them, two over two, on the left wall...and then put a big mirror in a strong but simple frame over the sideboard. Very French, in fact. And there's nothing quite like a big mirror to punch a hole in the wall, and add sparkle and life.

Whew. I did get carried away, didn't I!

Parma42's pictures of drapery panels with bees look fabulous, and would also be a great choice for you...the drapey-ness softens the formality enough, and they are so stylish!

Didn't think I could possibly have more to say, did you!

The rug is lovely and the furniture is beautiful. It looks very well made, as well as timeless. Parma's bee drapes are a wonderful addition. When you cover your chairs you could make two throw pillows, one for each of the arm chairs, that will warm it up the room a bit.
A table arrangement on the table also would be nice. You're doing great with the room so far :)
Joann

Hi, I'm a lurker but wanted to try and chime in. I hope you don't mind. Beautiful DR furniture and a great rug! I like the idea of a large mirror over the buffet. Home Goods would be a great place to look. Then consider adding a couple of buffet lamps.
I think the bay window needs softening but am not really sure what to suggest. Would a valance with a unfussy jabot treatment work?? To me the base of the bay looks too high for a cushion. How would you feel about a large sculptural item of some sort sitting in the bay? A grouping of large ginger jars, etc? Even a houseplant in a gorgeous container?

I agree with the poster who said that stripes for the chairs would be best. That's what I saw in my mind's eye as soon as I saw the rug. Anything less strong will simply disappear and lessen the impact of the overall look. At least that's my humble opinion, but you have to choose whatever you love. I still think simple curtain panels would be best for the window. Can you move the buffet over a little to make room? The panel won't take up very much space. A top treatment seems too fussy to me and might take away from the elegance of the room. They also seem very bitty when you have a large expanse of window. I think your room is going to look really wonderful!

Yes, the photos are all showing up now.

I like that green fabric with the rug, but glad you've ditched it because it looks too much like the kind of fabric on the pink sofa (chair?) in the adjacent room. I don't like the idea of gold on the chairs at all, but maybe I'm missing something in the room. Is there gold?

brownwynsmom has some brilliant points and I agree with almost everything -- except I still think bees and toile would look good. If you do go striped, they need to be nice wide soft ones so they are not competing with the green and white "crisp" ones in the next room.

I wonder how a rich damask would go on the chairs.

You can bring home larger samples from Calico. Best way for me to select is take samples of what I already have, and walk around holding them up to the fabrics. If it's a possible "yes" you'll know it. For my oriental rug I just took some colored pencils and replicated the colors of it on a piece of paper.

And floor length panels on a big wooden rod hung just beneath your wonderful crown moulding would look good. Nice soft drapey panels.

Just checked back, and wanted to say thanks again for all the great advice! It's nice to know you all like my furniture, unfortunately, the pictures do not show how beat up it actually is. I would really like to try to play down the formalness of the furniture, as I prefer a more casual style home. It's tough trying to blend my preference with someone else's furniture. I see homes with lots of pieces in different styles and colors and it all seems to fit, but when I try it, yikes!

I'll keep everyone's advice in mind as I try to pull this room together, and maybe someday I'll have a picture of the finished room to post.

Thanks again!

Do you know about Restore-A-Finish? It does wonders for beat-up good furniture. You choose the shade that most closely matches your furniture, open the windows (because it smells to high heaven), maybe put down a drop cloth just in case, and wipe it on with a cloth or paper towel, a small area at a time...then you dry it off with a clean one, and the bangs and scrapes disappear.
Presto. Magic.

I can't seem to shut up, can I!
One good way to relax your look is to simplify the fabrics...pick the same kinds of stripes and patterns, but use linen or linen-cotton blends, use rod-pockets instead of formal pleats, and then choose accessories that are more ethnic than formal...rough Chinese pottery, antique baskets, hand-hewn dough bowls, that sort of thing. Good, but textured rather than silky.
(and thank you for the compliment, bigdoglover...)

bronwynsmom - you sound like a professional and your ideas are great! Please don't ever shut up. As long as you talk, I'll listen, and that goes for all the talented pro and amateur decorators who have helped me here.

Dear happy...may I show your kind comment to my DH? He often wishes I would put a sock in it, I'm sure!
Yes, I'm an ex-pro, and I love being able to keep my hand in here. Thank you for your kind words. Slinging my opinions around is the part of design work that I miss. Schlepping chairs around in my car all the time....not so much....